


Books and Bickering

by BaggedGenreNovel (dzen)



Category: Emelan - Tamora Pierce, PIERCE Tamora - Works
Genre: Bickering, Books, Bookstores, Brother-Sister Relationships, Brothers, F/M, Geeks, Gen, Identity Porn, Magic, Magic-Users, Reading, Reading Aloud, Secret Identity, Sibling Love, Siblings, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2015-04-27
Packaged: 2018-03-26 01:43:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3832429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dzen/pseuds/BaggedGenreNovel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not everybody understands about books. And reading. And that special place you can get lost with someone else. Sometimes, Briar and Tris don't quite see eye to eye, but when books are involved, none of it matters anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Books and Bickering

**Author's Note:**

  * For [not-quite-Violet](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=not-quite-Violet).



“Briar!”

The shout came from just behind his ear. Briar jerked away violently, then scrambled as he lost his balance. He yelped. Hunks of thatching came loose in his hands as he slipped towards the edge of the roof. His toes brushed empty air.

A strong gust of wind surged up behind him, helping him stay on. Heart hammering, he heaved himself back up to where Tris’s upper half poked out of the trapdoor. She lowered her hand, her face whiter than usual, and clambered out. She was clutching a brown paper package. Briar ignored it in favour of glaring at her.

“Lakik’s teeth, Coppercurls!”

She looked him over, colour returning slowly to her cheeks. “Why were you lying right next to the trapdoor anyway?” she griped, glaring back.

“Waitin for the sweet song of a mushy headed thunder witch to take out me ears and send me for a little fly.” He said sarcastically. “Where’d ya _think_ I’d be? Up on the Hub?”

They glared daggers at each other for a moment.

“Sorry.” Tris muttered finally, looking away.

Briar rolled his eyes, and flapped his hand at her. “I’m all still here ain’t I?” He scoffed. He scooted to make room for her, and they both stretched out on the roof. Tris sighed.

“What’s that?” Briar nodded towards the brown paper package now lying on her belly.

“Oh!” She picked it up, examining the paper. “It’s why I was yelling, actually.”

Fumbling at the awkward angle, she unwrapped the paper to reveal a book. It was slightly battered, with a blue cover and gilded edges. She held the spine out towards Briar, and his lips moved silently as he sounded out the title. He got halfway through it before sitting straight up again.

“You found it?!” He yelped “Where’d you get it?”

Tris tried and failed to hold back her grin. “Pure dumb luck!” She crowed. She sat up too, and began gesturing wildly. “Sandry was visiting her uncle, and he was making room in his personal library. He asked if she wanted any of the old books, and she said—”

“—she din’t care, but she’d just grab a couple for her old mate Tris!” Briar had a huge grin plastered across his face. He let out a whoop. “Did she even know-?”

“No,” Tris shook her head, “I think she thought I was having a fit when I saw it!” They both collapsed into giggles.

“It’s only the second one, though.” Tris said, sobering. “She didn’t have the third. She said she’d ask His Grace, but she doesn’t think she saw it, and anyway, all the rest of the books were going down to the merchants this afternoon.”

Briar shook his head, still grinning. “Stop blathering, Coppercurls!” He lay back again, and stretched out a hand towards the tiny clouds. “Just tell me how’d Farfoot get out of the Drylands?”

“’ _how_ Farfoot _got_ ’” Tris corrected absently, lying back too, and opened the book to the first page. She frowned at it. “Apparently, he didn’t.”

“ _What?_ ”

“Not yet anyway.”

“But what about them-”

“Hush up a minute! Great Circle!”

A light breeze tugged their hair. Briar closed his eyes against the sun, and sighed.

“Okay…” Tris murmured, scooting closer.“ ‘I had not counted on King Kallabrand, or on his personal guard, when I’d hatched my plans for escape…’ ”

 

———————————————————————————————————————

 

“So, tell me about your sisters. I heard you’re all telepathic! And did you really stop an earthquake? Or-sorry. You’re sick of those questions, right?...” Farralyn flushed. “Well, tell me anyway?”

Tris was going to _kill_ Briar.

She was. Tris was absolutely going to do it this time. Daja and Sandry would mourn, but too damn bad! _Ugh!_

The three of them were meandering down Bridgeton’s bustling main street. The university town was especially busy today, spruikers’ shouts from the magical boutiques and a buzz of conversation mingling with the smell of food and horses. Unfortunately, none of it was quite compelling enough to distract Tris from the _scene_ her two companions were making.

A few furtive pokes in her head informed her that Briar was trying to get through, to talk it out in private. Stuff that. Stuff him. Anonymity be damned, she _would_ start yelling the _second_ he said something stupid. Which he _would._

Out of the corner of her eye she caught him glancing at her, frowning. Suddenly he smirked, and leaned down to Farra’s ear.

“I don’t think your friend likes me.” He said in a pseudo-whisper. Tris’s clenched her jaw.

Farra snorted, and grinned up at him. “Don’t mind Rish, she doesn’t like _anyone_. She _barely_ likes me!” She tried to catch Tris’s eye, to wink at her or share a smirk. Tris wasn’t in the mood.

“I like people worth liking.” She gritted out.

“Rish?” Farra sounded concerned. “Are you all right?”

“Fine.” Tris retorted. Briar coughed, obviously hiding a laugh. She spun her head to snap at them both, but bit it back at Farra’s worried gaze. “I have a headache, that’s all,” she muttered. “Let’s go down to Temill’s.” Tris indicated a side street. “If your mage friend wants to see the sights, that’s at least one worth seeing.”

Enough was enough. While Farra exclaimed at the idea and led the way towards the alley, Tris hung back a little and opened the connection.

 _What is your_ problem _, Coppercurls?_ Briar demanded instantly, dropping back too and shooting her an annoyed look.

 _My problem? Well, to start, I wasn’t aware that the only reason you’re visiting Lightsbridge is to_ canoodle _!_ She sniped back. _She’s my_ roommate _!_

Briar laughed a little too loudly at something Farra said, and pointed at a nearby shop window. _No need to make it gross, Tris._ He made a face at her behind Farra’s back, _I was_ going _to use_ my _room-_

 _Oh,_ really _?_ She raised a scathing eyebrow at a nearby lamppost, _The one that you’re sharing with Niko? You were going to use_ that _room?_

 _Or maybe a bed here in town…_ He conceded. Tris almost shrieked in frustration.

 _Oh, that’s just_ fine _then!_ She ranted. _Never mind that I’ve waited to see you for months, just as long as your bed isn’t empty for even a night! And I suppose it’ll be someone new tomorrow?_

 _Green Man save us,_ he cut her off, flustered, _it isn’t like— and anyway, what’s wrong with a little fun?_

“Ta-da! It’s not much from the outside, but..”

 _She’s not_ after _fun, you cretin! I_ know _her! She’s-_ sentimental _!_ Tris grimaced at the word. _I’m serious Briar._ She was openly glaring at him now, subtlety be damned. _I know_ you _, too. She’ll be a wreck when you’re through, and_ I’ll _be left to deal with-look, “Fun” is fine, as long as_ everyone knows _that’s all it is-_

“Uh… Briar?”

 _Bleedin- that what you really think, Tris?_ He was glaring now too, _That I-what, I stomp on the hearts of poor innocent lamblings?_

_Back in Namorn-_

“Is everything… Rish?”

_They was all for it! They played the same game I done, and you know it!_

“What’s going on?”

 _Well Farra_ doesn’t _play!_

 _I_ know _she don’t!_

“ _WHAT?!”_ Tris shrieked at Briar.

“Uh…” Said Farra. She’d recoiled at Tris’s shout, and was looking dubiously between the two of them. “We’re…here?”

Tris blinked, registering for the first time that they’d actually stopped walking. “Oh.” She said.

A short flight of uneven steps led to an open oak door. The cool grey stone of the alley walls elegantly complemented the familiar carved sign hanging above the shop: _TEMILL’S TOMES._

“Right.” Tris gave Farra an awkward smile. “Sorry.”

“Uh, that’s… all right.” Said Farra slowly, still eying them both. “But why-”

“Let’s just go in, please?” Tris sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Briar slung an arm around Farra’s shoulder and dropped an especially ostentatious kiss onto the top of her head. Farra blushed a deep brown.

“Oh, fine,” She grumbled, leading him up the steps, “But at least stop trying to murder each other with your eyes.”

“No promises.” Muttered Tris, following them in.

Tris calmed as they stepped into the shop. The smell of old paper and the weighty presence of hundreds of books would never fail to be soothing. The huge, high ceilinged room was crowded with them, arranged in both teetering stacks and upon elegantly carved but totally mismatched wooden shelves. Soft breezes to skimmed across the top of the shop. They greeted Tris gently, then returned to their business, keeping the air fresh in the forest of twists, turns, and secret nooks that the bookshelves made below.

It was perfect.

“Wow.” Briar breathed, dropping Farra’s hand to reach out and touch a bookshelf. He closed his eyes, and Tris knew he was examining the wood. He smiled suddenly. Opening his eyes, he looked at the shelf with new respect. “It’s carved _right!_ ” He sounded like an excited child.

Tris’s lip twitched in spite of herself. “Take him to a bookshop and he looks at the shelves.” She griped to Farra, who gave her an exasperated look. Briar just laughed and moved on to inspect the wares themselves.

The three of them spread out. Tris purposefully distanced herself from where Briar and Farra were moving down a row together. It mostly worked. Every so often a soft laugh or murmured comment would float across the shop, making her grit her teeth, but even so she soon lost herself skimming the titles. In fact she was so absorbed in her dreamy “book” mood that at first she passed over the faded blue and gold spine completely. Something pinged in the back of Tris’s mind. She did a double take. She squeaked.

 _Briar!_ She called.

 _What?_ He yelped, and she was briefly treated to a sensation she never wanted to be aware of _ever_ again.

 _Ugh! Ew, ew, ew._ Tris closed the connection hastily. Ew. She grabbed the book, and hurried back out to the main entrance, calling aloud as she went.

“Coming!” yelled Farra, and a few seconds later they emerged from the maze. Tris gave their rumpled clothes a very pointed look. Farra grinned, but was blushing again. Briar looked a little ill.

 _Sorry!_ He sounded ill too.

“Oh, never mind.” Tris flapped one hand at them dismissively, and held up her book. “Look!”

They leaned in to read the cover. Briar’s eyes went wide.

“Is that the third one?” He asked, springing forward.

“’ _Journals of the Southern Scapes, Vol. III’!_ ” Tris announced triumphantly.

“I don’t get it,” Farra said, looking from Briar to Tris, “What’s so special?”

Briar spun to face her. “They’re amazing! They’re these old journals written by an explorer mage called Jiruphim Farfoot, who went all around the world! He was a bag -rich, that is- but he lost it all when the lord he served didn’t like how he was lookin’ at his wife, so Farfoot had to leave in a hurry, and it was three hundred years ago so that was some kind of breach of the stupid noble honour thing, so he just went traveling and he went so far beyond the Kurchal Empire that for ten years everyone thought he was dead!”

“Oh.” Said Farra, leaning back a little. “All right.” She smiled. “Sounds interesting?”

His grin turned sheepish. “Sorry. We used to read them when we were kids!” he blinked, “My sister and me, I mean.”

“Kids?”

“I’ve heard he rides a Sand Beast in this one!” Tris broke in excitedly, leafing through the pages.

“What? Says who?” demanded Briar, whirling back to her, “Where would he even find one of those? He’s stuck on an _island_!”

“A man in my Magical Precautions & Public Safety class says he’s read them all, all _five!_ His father’s a book merchant over in Janaal.” She grinned at him, “A _Sand Beast_ , Briar!”

“But-but-Island!” he flailed.

“Oh, I don’t know! Maybe he swims?”

“What, back to the Drylands?” He scoffed.

“Flies, then. He can probably talk to birds or something by now.”

Farra was laughing, “They’re exciting, then?”

Briar grinned at her again, “The best. They’re sorta hard to find though. We never did see the third one.”

“And you’ve read them too?” Farra asked Tris sounding puzzled, “They sound obscure.”

Tris shrugged, and pretended to inspect Briar critically. “I suppose your new _friend_ isn’t _entirely_ useless.” She told Farra. “At least he has good taste in books.”

He crooked a smile at her, “Blame my sister.” He said.

Tris snorted. She looked down at the book again, her good mood fading into wistfulness as she saw the price. She sighed. It was about what she’d expected. She started back towards where she’d found it.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Exclaimed Briar, “Where’re you taking that thing?”

She raised an eyebrow sardonically at him, “Do you have any idea how much university costs?”

He frowned, and reached for the book. She handed it to him with a shrug. He opened the cover to see the label and his eyebrows shot up. His mouth quirked. Then he reached for his purse, and strode towards the mahogany desk behind which the whithered form of Old Temill surveyed his domain. Tris’s other eyebrow rose.

“He’s a show off.” She muttered to Farra. “That’s a bad sign, you know.”

Farra snorted, “And _you’re_ a bitter old hag.”

Tris nodded sagely, “Well, I can’t fault you there.”

——————————————————————————

They met Briar by the door. He beamed at them, clutching his purchase.

“Congratulations.” Tris drawled.

He smirked at her, and held out the package. “It’s not _mine_.”

“What?” She stared at the book, then realised what he was doing. She glared hotly. “I don’t _need-_!”

He rolled his eyes, “Peace, Tr- Rish!” He held up his other hand, palm out, “Peace, all right? Look, I, ah-” he glanced away briefly, puffed out a sigh, “I really like your friend.” He stared at her, eyes wide. “Really! And I want you to have- you should- argh, can we just stop fighting already?” He huffed.

Tris narrowed her eyes. _Is_ that _what you meant before? About Farra?_ She asked shrewdly. _You only met her_ yesterday!

 _Yeah, but,_ He shrugged, and gazed back at her, his expression uncommonly open. _You like people worth liking, Coppercurls._

Tris blinked. “Oh.” She stared, feeling suddenly vulnerable.

“Just _take_ it, Rish!” ground out Farra through gritted teeth. Tris jumped, and glanced at her. Farra was glaring. “I am _sick_ of this.”

Tris pulled herself together, and sighed theatrically. “Oh, all right.” She snatched the book from Briar’s grasp.

“Hey!” Briar yelped. Tris spun on her heels and strode briskly towards the main road. “I said _peace_ , Coppercurls!”

Farra cracked up, “ _Coppercurls?”_ Tris heard her ask.

“Well she has ‘em!” Briar retorted behind her, following.

“How can you even tell under all those braids?” Farra grumbled.

“Oh, I know _lotsa_ redheads.” Briar smirked. Farra rolled her eyes and scampered up to join Tris, waiting at the entrance to the main street.

“Like your sister?” Farra called back, “I heard one of _them_ is a redhead.”

“Yeah, that’d be Tris.” He caught up, and tweaked Farra’s chin. “The weather one.”

Farra hummed. “Are you close?”

He shrugged, and leaned against the wall. “She taught me to read.” He smiled, darting a glance up to meet Tris’s eyes. Tris went bright red and looked away. Something clenched tight in her chest.

“She’s a good mate.” Briar said lightly.

The sound of the street seemed somehow muted, now. Late afternoon sunlight spilled into the alley, illuminating their faces. A warm breeze whispered past, clutching at their hair as it went. Tris looked down at the book, tucked snugly under her arm. She smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> —————————————
> 
> Farra, however, had recoiled instantly, “A good what?” she choked out. “Your sister-?”
> 
> “Wha-? It’s slang-” Briar stammered, reeling backwards.
> 
> The trio were halfway back to Lightsbridge by the time Tris finished cackling.
> 
> \-------------
> 
> I couldn't resist, I'm sorry! (not sorry!) :D
> 
> I'm not...entirely HAPPY with this fic, somehow, and I can't quite pinpoint why, which is very frustrating. I've been working on it for far too long, though. Needed to be posted, hell or high water. And, not-quite-Violet, I hope you like it anyway <3
> 
> All comments greatly appreciated, as it's always nice to know if people liked it. Anything at all that you can point out that I can do better with next time would be greatly appreciated, though! As always, constructive criticism is to me the sweetest air and the prettiest tree. But don't be shy if you don't feel confident offering anything like that, I'd still love to hear from you!


End file.
